Day 1 - Reykjavik Embark aboard the Expedition in the afternoon and depart Reykjavík in the late afternoon. Arrival transfer included. Drop off your checked luggage by 2pm at the joining hotel's luggage storage room and there will be a late afternoon transfer. Depart Reykjavik in the evening. In the afternoon, join your fellow passengers to take your group transfer and begin your journey on the Expedition. Please refer to your welcome letter or the joining instructions posted in the lobby of the start hotel. Make sure you have your passport handy as you are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Days 2–3 Reykjavik/Denmark Strait Enjoy the lecture series while watching the seas for whales. Head away from Iceland and the steaming hot springs of Reykjavík. The view is often complemented by soaring fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, guillemots, and razorbills. Days 4–8 Northeast Greenland National Park Spend a few days exploring the massive fjord system of Northeast Greenland National Park, which includes portions of Scorsbysund. Visit the tiny settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit for a look at how these most northerly people live. Sail through and land in some of the most spectacular fjord country in the world up along the coast of Greenland, while exploring rarely visited glaciers, bays and inlets. This is the largest national park in the world, nearly impossible to reach except on expedition ships. Spectacular geology combined with glacial features create steep mountains raising directly from the sea. Look out for picturesque scenery, wildlife and other interesting landing sites in this unspoiled wilderness. Depending on ice, spend these days exploring the massive fjord system of Northeast Greenland National Park, which includes portions of Scoresbysund. These intricate fjord systems are everything from wide and unimaginable to narrow and steeply spectacular with some of the best mountain scenery in the world. Walking over lush stands of colourful autumn tundra may lead to opportunities to see musk oxen grazing nearby. Visit Ittoqqortoormiit for an up close look into life in the most remote town in Greenland. This small settlement is home to only 450 individuals and one grocery store. The people of Ittiqqortoormiit rely heavily on hunting and fishing and have honed these skillsets for many generations. They enjoy spending warmer weather on dog sleds, snowmobile trips, or camping excursions. With the closest inhabited settlement hundreds of miles away across some of the most unforgivable terrain in the world, the warmth and sense of community fostered by the people of Ittiqqortoormiit act as a beacon in the Arctic. Days 9–10 Greenland Sea Keep an eye out for majestic whales, which are known to feed here in the summer months. Spot orca, humpback and minke whales, as well as dolphins. Enjoy lectures by expedition staff. Frigid waters drain from the Arctic Ocean in a southwest current along the coast of Northeast Greenland. Often, drifting pack ice is pushed along the coast. We will attempt to approach and follow the pack ice edge to explore the polar seascape. Keep a lookout for sea mammals like seals and whales and also sea birds such as kittiwakes and fulmars. Attend lectures hosted throughout the day on anything from local wildlife to the history and exploration of the Arctic. Days 11–14 - Greenland Sea/Svalbard Taking advantage of local ice and weather conditions, explore the Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, one of those rare places on Earth blessed with both awe-inspiring landscape and compelling history. Over four full days, explore a small portion of the western coast of Svalbard. Entering the fall the days are getting shorter so try to take advantage of all of the sunlight possible to search for wildlife. Spend these days in search of the elusive polar bears as they hunt seals. Look out for Svalbard's unique subspecies of reindeer. Although much smaller than their southern relatives, they still carry impressive antlers. Keep a sharp lookout for Arctic foxes. By not having a set itinerary, we take on an expedition spirit and are free to take advantage of the best that Svalbard has to offer. Day 15 - Longyearbyen Shortly after breakfast, disembark the ship. Transfers to the Longyearbyen airport will be offered to all passengers with flights scheduled. General disembarkation from the vessel is at approximately 8:00am. You will be transferred to the airport depending on the time of your flight. Transfer times will be confirmed and communicated onboard prior to departure. Luggage storage at the port will be available until time of departure. Due to restrictive airline schedules for flights departing from Longyearbyen, we are pleased to offer an early morning disembarkation and transfer to the airport for those passengers with flights departing Longyearbyen around 7:40am (dependent on airline schedules)